Flow-optimized pour over coffee brewing system

ABSTRACT

A pour-over coffee dripper is presented. The dripper includes a container having a first opening and a second opening of different sizes and a sidewall extending between the first opening and the second opening. Ridges are formed on an inside surface of the sidewall extending in straight lines between the first opening and the second opening.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/799,784, filed Oct. 31, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/415,503 filed on Oct. 31, 2016 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/416,643 filed on Nov. 2, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The inventive concept disclosed herein relates to a pour-over coffee dripper.

Coffee drinks are popular beverages enjoyed in various parts of the world, hot or cold. Coffee drinks have a wide range of taste and flavors depending on factors such as origin and type of coffee beans, roasting technique used, and the brewing method used. Each of these factors can have a significant impact on the flavor and aroma of the resulting coffee drink. For example, even using beans from one batch, using different brewing methods can produce coffee drinks that taste very different.

One of the brewing techniques that are available involves using a pour-over dripper (“dripper”). To brew a cup of coffee using a dripper, a filter is usually placed in the container that is generally shaped like a cup or bowl, coffee grounds are placed in the filter, and water is poured over the coffee grounds. The coffee flavors get extracted from the coffee grounds into the water with optimal contact time, and the flavored water is drained out of the dripper into a cup.

The dripper offers the advantage of allowing one cup of coffee to be made at a time, in addition to ease of cleaning that comes with simplicity of design (i.e., few parts or components). Furthermore, some users may find the experience of watching his coffee get brewed right on the table enjoyable and relaxing.

While there are several different coffee drippers on the market today made with different designs and materials, each product has its disadvantage. A dripper that will allow optimal extraction for improved flavor and aroma in the resulting drink is desired.

SUMMARY

The inventive concept pertains to a liquid dripper that is useful for making coffee. The liquid dripper includes a container having a first opening and a second opening of different sizes and a sidewall extending between the first opening and the second opening. Ridges are formed on an inside surface of the sidewall extending in straight lines between the first opening and the second opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dripper according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the dripper according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the dripper according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the dripper according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the dripper with a filter placed inside, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the dripper according to one embodiment.

FIG. 7 depicts the dripper with the filter inside placed on a cup in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The inventive concept pertains to a pour-over coffee dripper with a container that is optimized for water flow and heat retention that contribute to improved aroma and flavor of the resulting drink.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dripper 10 according to one embodiment. As shown, the dripper 10 has a container portion 20 attached to a base 30. In the particular embodiment, the container portion 20 has a first opening at the top that is useful for pouring liquid into the container portion 20 and a second opening through which the liquid exits the container portion 20. The second opening is formed in a bottom surface of the container portion 20 and is of a different size than the first opening. In the embodiment that is shown, the first opening is larger than the second opening. The first opening and the bottom surface, in this particular example, lie in planes that are parallel to the x-z plane referring to the coordinates of FIG. 1. A sidewall 21 extends between the first opening and the bottom surface 23 (bottom surface 23 is shown in FIG. 4). In the particular embodiment shown, the first opening and the bottom surface 23 are both circular; however, this is not a limitation of the inventive concept. Ridges 22 are formed on the inside surface of the sidewall. The ridges 22 protrude inward from the sidewall 22 and extend in a straight line between the first opening and the second opening while following the contours of the sidewall 21.

In one embodiment, the dripper 10 is made of porcelain. More specifically, the dripper 10 may be manufactured using a material that can be made thin, provides for heat retention and low thermal mass while maintaining overall strength of the product. One example of a suitable material is a high-grade porcelain that is unique to the Kyushu region of Japan. This porcelain material is fired at an ultra-high temperature (>1300° C.) that results in a high level of durability. Firing the dripper at an ultra-high temperature also creates a smooth glaze which may reduce friction and improve fluid flow through the dripper 10.

In one embodiment, the container 20 is sized for a 350 mL cup. For example, the inner diameter at the top rim of the container 20 may be about 110 mm, the length of the slanted inner wall may be about 70 mm, and the inner diameter at the bottom of the container 20 may be about 47 mm. The shapes and measurements provided here are not intended to be limiting of the disclosure, and are just provided as an example. The inner dimensions may be optimized for a filter that is intended to be used with the dripper 10. In one embodiment, the weight of the dripper 10 does not exceed 290 g.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the dripper 10. In the particular embodiment, the sidewall 21 of the container 20 is set at about 65.7° with respect to a vertical axis (not shown) orthogonal to the bottom surface 23 of the container 20. Any angle between 60-70° helps precise visual estimation of pour volume. While wider wall angles may be conducive to nicer flow property during a pour, a deeper/narrower wall angle is easier for certain pour techniques, such as a multiple-pour technique. A base 30 extends outward from an outer surface of the sidewall 21. The sidewall 21 extends past the base 30 to form an inner ring 32, such that the first opening and the inner ring 32 are on different sides of the base 30. The second opening is connected to a nozzle 50, which is surrounded by the inner ring 32. The nozzle 50 may be at a center of the inner ring 32.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the dripper 10 according to one embodiment. There may be a gap between a bottom of the inner ring 32 and the bottom of the nozzle 50 to ensure that the nozzle 50 does not come into contact with items or surfaces around it, such as a table surface. This gap preserves a sanitary zone. The gap may be about 3 mm high in the y-direction, although this is not a limitation of the inventive concept.

The cross-section view shows that the nozzle 50 does not have a constant diameter. The nozzle 50 is wider at the top, and narrows toward the outlet. At the narrowest point, the nozzle 50 may have a diameter of about 4-4.5 mm to provide for optimal flow rate and even extraction. The bottom of the container 20 is not flat but has a gradual slope down to the nozzle 50 to help the liquid flow. The shape and dimensions of the nozzle 50 ensure laminar flow profile of the liquid for smooth and consistent flowrate that contributes to a consistent extraction and flavor profile from cup to cup.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the dripper 10 according to one embodiment. As shown, there are ridges 22 formed on the inner wall of the container 20. The ridges 22 utilize capillary action to draw coffee across the filter. In the particular embodiment, there are 40 vertical ridges formed, making this dripper 10 usable with a filter that has 20 pleats. FIG. 5 depicts a top view of the container 20 with a filter 60 placed inside. Often, the filter medium is flavor-tuned to optimally brew coffee without pre-wetting. Not pre-wetting the filter allows the capillary zone to fill during bloom and reduces early drip-out.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the dripper 10 according to one embodiment. In this embodiment, there are five support ribs 34 extending from the outer edge of the base 30 toward the inner ring 32 to provide even support and balance on most carafes or cups. The diameter of the inner ring 32 is about the same as the diameter of the bottom of the container 20, or around 47 mm in one embodiment. A relatively small inner ring diameter allows the dripper 10 to sit comfortably on even a small vessel and let the liquid flow into the vessel.

The ridges 22 extend in a straight line between an area near the rim of the container 20 and the bottom of the container 20. In fact, the ridges 22 follow the slope, angle, and curve of where the sidewall meets the bottom, and extend onto the bottom surface of the container 20. All the ridges 22 extend toward the nozzle 50, but are of varying lengths. In the particular embodiment, there are four longest ridges 22 that are formed about 90° apart from one another, with ridges 22 of different lengths between them. Some of the ridges 22 extend only to where the bottom surface meets the sidewall, partly due to the limited real estate with the decrease in diameter in going from the rim to the bottom surface.

The ridges 22 protrude from the sidewall 21 inward, and are not of constant thickness or height, “height” being measured by how much it protrudes from the flat portion of the inner surface. Referring back to FIG. 4, the ridges 22 are higher and wider at the bottom of the container close to the second openin, and get narrower and shallower as they extend toward the first opening.

FIG. 7 depicts the dripper 10 with the filter 60 inside placed on a cup in accordance with one embodiment. As shown, the support ribs 34 rest securely on the wall of the cup, while liquid flows out of the nozzle 50 into the cup without encountering any obstructions.

It should be understood that the inventive concept can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the inventive concept to the precise form disclosed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A pour-over coffee dripper, comprising: a sidewall portion defining a frustoconical shaped inner surface extending between a top circular end of the sidewall portion and a bottom circular end of the sidewall portion, wherein a diameter of the top circular end is larger than a diameter of the bottom circular end; a bottom portion coupled to the bottom circular end of the sidewall portion, wherein the bottom portion defines a bottom surface extending from the bottom circular end of the sidewall, wherein the inner surface of the sidewall portion and the bottom surface of the bottom portion define a cavity with an first opening defined by the top circular end of the sidewall portion, wherein the bottom surface defines a second opening extending through the bottom portion, and wherein the cavity is configured to receive a coffee filter containing ground coffee beans; and a plurality of ridges coupled to and extending away from the inner surface of the sidewall portion and the bottom surface of the bottom portion, wherein each of the plurality of ridges extends along straight lines between the first opening and the second opening, wherein the container is configured so that coffee made from pouring water into the coffee filter containing the ground coffee beans runs down the inner surface of the sidewall between ridges of the plurality of ridge extending from the inner surface, across the circular bottom surface between ridges of the plurality of ridges extending from the bottom surface, and out of the second opening.
 2. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 1, wherein a central vertical axis is defined as passing through centers of the top circular end and the bottom circular end, and wherein the plurality of ridges are in a straight radial pattern around the central vertical axis in a horizontal plan view.
 3. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 2, wherein an angle of the frustoconical inner surface of the sidewall portion is between 60° and 70° relative to the vertical axis.
 4. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 2, wherein an angle of the frustoconical inner surface of the sidewall portion is 65.7° relative to the vertical axis.
 5. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 2, wherein the plurality of ridges comprise a first subset of ridges comprising four ridges that are longer than the other ridges of the plurality of ridges, and wherein the four ridges of the first subset are positioned in the radial pattern 90°.
 6. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of ridges is tapered in width in a direction parallel to surfaces from which the ridges extends so that each ridge is wider at a first location more proximate to the second opening relative to a second location more distal to the second opening.
 7. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of ridges is tapered in height in a direction perpendicular to surfaces from which the ridges extends so that each ridge has a greater height at the first location relative to the second location.
 8. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 2, wherein the plurality of ridges comprise ridges of different lengths, and where each ridge of the plurality of ridges starts at a same height on the inner surface of the sidewall portion relative to the central axis.
 9. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 1, wherein no ridges of the plurality of ridges intersect or converge.
 10. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of ridges extend from the inner surface of the sidewall portion onto the bottom surface of the bottom portion.
 11. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of ridges extends from the inner surface of the sidewall onto the bottom surface of the bottom portion.
 12. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 2, wherein the central vertical axis extends through the second opening, wherein the second opening does not have a constant diameter, and wherein the second opening defines a narrowest diameter between 4 m and 4.5 mm so that the coffee passes through the second opening with a laminar flow profile and a consistent flow rate.
 13. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 2, wherein the bottom surface and the ridge of the plurality of ridges that extend therefrom slope downwardly from the bottom circular end toward the second opening.
 14. A pour-over coffee dripper system, comprising: the pour-over coffee dripper of claim 1, where the plurality of ridges comprises 40 ridges; and a filter, wherein the filter comprises 20 pleats, and wherein the filter is positioned in the cavity of the pour-over coffee dripper.
 15. The pour-over coffee dripper system of claim 14, wherein the filter and plurality of ridges are configured to draw the coffee from inside the filter, through the filter, and into a capillary zone between the filter and the inner surface of the sidewall portion with capillary action.
 16. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 1, wherein the sidewall portion is composed of porcelain from Kyushu, Japan, wherein the porcelain is fired at more than 1300 degrees Celsius in order to form a smooth glaze on the inner surface of the sidewall portion to create a path with low friction and high fluid flow for the coffee.
 17. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the top circular end is 110 mm, wherein the diameter of the bottom circular end is 47 mm, and wherein a length of the sidewall portion between the top circular end and the bottom circular end is 70 mm.
 18. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 2, further comprising: a base extending outwardly from an outer surface of the sidewall portion; and an inner ring extending from an opposite side of the base than the sidewall portion, wherein the inner ring defines an inner diameter equal to a diameter of the bottom surface.
 19. The pour-over coffee dripper of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of support ribs on a bottom side of the base, wherein the base extends outwardly and downwardly from the sidewall portion so as to be at a non-perpendicular angle to the central vertical axis, wherein the plurality of support ribs extend from a perimeter of the bottom side of the base toward and terminate at the inner ring, and wherein bottom sides of the plurality of support ribs define an even support surface on a horizontal plane perpendicular to the central vertical axis configured so as to balance on a cup.
 20. A method of manufacturing the pour-over coffee dripper of claim 1, the method comprising: forming the sidewall portion and the bottom portion from porcelain from Kyushu, Japan; and firing the formed sidewall portion and bottom portions at more than 1300 degrees Celsius to form a smooth glaze on the inner surface of the sidewall portion to create a path with low friction and high fluid flow for the coffee. 